Frequently Asked Questions

Listed below are the most frequently asked questions regarding our Trinity Diploma in TESOL course. If you cannot find the answer to your question here please do not hesitate to Contact Us. Alternatively, please find all our contact details at the top right of website.

What qualifications do I need?

You need a Certificate in TESOL / CELTA and a degree qualification. If you do not have a degree you will need to demonstrate in the application process that you are able to cope with a course of study at post degree level.

Who can apply?

For entry to this course, candidates must have at least 2 years full-time teaching experience and a university degree or equivalent level of education. The course is open to native and non-native speakers of English.

How do I apply?

To apply for the course you will need to complete the on-line application form, submit written tasks, supply a reference, and have an interview in person, over the phone or by Skype. The procedure is designed to assess your ability to use written and spoken English effectively, to demonstrate an awareness of language and language teaching and learning gained from experience and training. It also assesses your overall aptitude and motivation to complete such a course. You will only be admitted to the course if we feel you are equipped and ready to deal with the challenges it provides. For this reason our pass rate is very high (around 90%). We will help you decide whether this course is suitable for you. The interview is also an opportunity for you to ask questions about the course and decide if it is right for you.

Can I work during the course?

This is a very practical course. Yes, you need to be teaching at least one group and be able to go and watch other teachers.

How does the course help me to develop my career?

This qualification is listed by the British Council as a full qualification under the terms of their course validation and recognition schemes. The Licentiate Diploma will help you to develop your practical and theoretical knowledge of ELT, making you stand out from other teachers. It opens the door to more senior teaching jobs such as Director of Studies, Teacher Training jobs and helps you enter other areas of the profession such as materials writing and so on.

How many people are on each course?

Individual attention, help and advice is vital on this course and, in order to ensure this, the size of the group is limited to a maximum of twelve. For teaching practice, during the face-to-face block, you will work in small groups.

What is the workload?

The virtual / On-line component takes place from November to April (approximately 12 hours a week).

The extensive, part-time teaching practice in your centre takes place between January and May.

Intensive, full-time attendance in Cadiz in May (4 weeks) includes teaching practice and lesson preparation, preparing for the phonology interview and exam revision of around 20 hours a week.

The distance component is compatible with full-time teaching, though we recommend you aim to reduce your teaching commitments if you can.

Why should I do the course here?

Our goal is to provide courses which are practical and dynamic and above all meet the needs of participants. In order to do this, our team of trainers aim to be flexible and supportive as well as provide expert guidance, and our course is structured and designed with your needs and objectives in mind.

The on-line part of the course includes plenty of opportunities for interaction. Our aim is to encourage support and sharing of ideas between participants. To achieve this, we make sure that you are in regular live contact with other course members, working in groups and pairs to complete tasks. We also hold live webinars on modules and have 1-2-1 tutorials throughout the course so you can discuss your progress with a tutor.

We make use of the latest technology to give you the chance to see and hear your colleagues, and use a virtual classroom to develop discussions on teaching and learning.

Preparing for the Diploma is demanding and you will feel under pressure at times. We aim to reduce unnecessary stress as much as possible by making sure you have the personal support you need and the focus and direction necessary to ensure your work time is well spent.

What do we do in the face-to-face block?

Practice written and phonology exams with feedback.

Group input sessions with tutor to prepare the phonology exam.

Teaching practice, including lesson planning, observation and feedback from tutors. Time working individually and with support from tutors. You will have 4 internally assessed lessons and 1 externally with a Trinity moderator. You will also have some unassessed, observed lessons so you can get more informal feedback from a tutor. When appropriate, there will be some unobserved lessons so you can get to know your learners.

External assessment of phonology and teaching practice with Trinity examiner.